Launch
Launch
Students will launch the film festival challenge by analyzing how short films shape audience experience, improvising and filming quick scene tests, and using early feedback plus community input to define strong audience-centered directions for later research and planning.
Days 1 - 3
Synthesize & Pitch
Synthesize & Pitch
Students will synthesize audience research into a focused film direction, generate and compare multiple short film concepts, and pitch storyboarded options that show how story structure, shot sequencing, and scene transitions are designed for a specific audience.
Days 10 - 15
Refine & Present
Refine & Present
Students will turn tested concepts into polished festival-ready short films by tightening rough cuts, validating choices with representative viewers, revising through structured critique cycles, and preparing a public-facing director’s note and team presentation that explain how audience feedback shaped the final film.
Days 22 - 27
Launch
Days 1–3
Research & Plan
Days 4–9
Synthesize & Pitch
Days 10–15
Prototype & Test
Days 16–21
Day 16
Day 17
Day 18
Day 19
Day 20
Day 21
Refine & Present
Days 22–27
Showcase
Days 28–30
July 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
28
Day 2
🧠 Audience Experience Breakdown
🧠 Audience Experience Breakdown
29
Day 3
🎤 Festival Standards Q&A Notes
🎤 Festival Standards Q&A Notes
31
Day 5
📝 Interview Protocol and Consent Cards
📝 Interview Protocol and Consent Cards
August 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
3
Day 6
🎤 Viewer Interviews and Festival Q&A
🎤 Viewer Interviews and Festival Q&A
4
Day 7
🗂️ Empathy Map and Assumption Check
🗂️ Empathy Map and Assumption Check
5
Day 8
📄 Short Film Direction Brief
📄 Short Film Direction Brief
6
Day 9
✅ Crew Plan and Checkpoint Conference
✅ Crew Plan and Checkpoint Conference
10
Day 11
🎯 How Might We Brief
🎯 How Might We Brief
11
Day 12
🗂️ Concept Sprint Boards
🗂️ Concept Sprint Boards
12
Day 13
🗣️ Storyboard Pitch Clinic
🗣️ Storyboard Pitch Clinic
13
Day 14
📋 Pitch Deck and Shot Plan
📋 Pitch Deck and Shot Plan
14
Day 15
🎬 Greenlight Concept Pitch
🎬 Greenlight Concept Pitch
17
Day 16
Prototype & Test
18
Day 17
19
Day 18
20
Day 19
21
Day 20
24
Day 21
26
Day 23
🛠️ Rough Cut Peer Notes Round
🛠️ Rough Cut Peer Notes Round
27
Day 24
✂️ Final Cut Build Session
✂️ Final Cut Build Session
28
Day 25
👥 Validation Screening with Festival Partner
👥 Validation Screening with Festival Partner
September 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
31
Day 26
📝 Director’s Note and Intro Rehearsal
📝 Director’s Note and Intro Rehearsal
1
Day 27
🎥 Final Cut Presentation Gate
🎥 Final Cut Presentation Gate
3
Day 29
🎥 Behind the Lens Showcase
🎥 Behind the Lens Showcase
4
Day 30
📝 Director's Note Reflection Portfolio
📝 Director's Note Reflection Portfolio